Apple Music Service Comes To Sonos

The Apple Music subscription streaming service will be available through Sonos wireless multiroom-audio systems starting Dec. 15 when a public beta program goes into effect, the companies announced.

Sonos said its multizone-audio system will be the first to support the subscription service. Sonos owners can sign up for the beta here.

Sonos already lets users listen to their computer’s iTunes library through the Sonos app, which doesn’t allow for streaming of Apple’s free iTunes Radio service. The app did stream Apple’s Beats music service, which was discontinued Nov. 30 in favor of the $9.99/month Apple Music.

Sonos users will be able to stream all their favorite features, including For You, Radio and My Music, said Sonos CEO John MacFarlane. The For You feature recommends music for a user based on staff selection as well as an algorithm. My Music shows both purchased songs and tracks available for streaming. Radio incorporates some iTunes Radio features such as ad-supported stations that play genre-specific or artist-related music.

MacFarlane warned, however, that “because it’s a preview, we know there are areas we’ll need to improve, and we’ll continue to do so throughout the beta.”

Up to six family members on an Apple Music family account will be able to “listen to music their way” he added.

Apple Music subscribers are able to pick the songs they want to hear on demand from more than 30 million tracks, including songs purchased from iTunes or uploaded with iTunes Match. The songs can also be saved on mobile devices for offline playback. Users will also access curated playlists and Beats 1 radio programming “crafted by people who eat, sleep and breathe music,” Sonos said. The Internet radio stations are curated by famous artists.

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